May 09, 2014

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May 05, 2014

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April 17, 2014

I've been working on a new book tentatively called NO FEAR IN LOVE. It's a book that takes a look at the way we allow Fear to drive almost every decision we make in developing relationships, faith, traditions, and keeps us from working from a place of confidence.

If I'm honest with myself, there are certain places I find fear emerge in my heart, Right? I mean I can act all tough like I have life together, but if I'm HONEST with myself and those around me, FEAR is a real part of human nature. We're scared of all kinds of stuff.

Fear can take so many different forms.

We can be fearful of spiders and snakes, so whenever they cross our paths we just pick up a shovel and remove the fear from our lives.We can be fearful of health, so we take drastic steps to eat right and exercise to make sure we control the future of our bodies.We can be fearful of economics, so we work hard, save like crazy, invest in the 'sure' bet, and set ourselves up so we never have to worry.We can be fearful of our neighbors across the street who drive a shady car, or dress in a strange way, or even keep the lights on all night which causes us to wonder "What's really going on in there?"

My personal favorite study is the FEAR OF OTHERS.

In a 24 hour news cycle, we're exposed to the bias of FEAR all the time. If you've been watching CNN for the last month, you're probably wondering if you should fly on a foreign airliner. Fear of FlyingIf you've watched FOX, the fear of government is probably a part of your daily conversation. Fear of someone taking away your freedom. If you're watching MSNBC, you're probably fearful of FOX NEWS, right? Fear of Fear.

Fear of THE OTHER is probably the most powerful. We tend to create tribes of people we know, we can count on their reactions, they hold the same values as we do, and the narrative begins to emerge US vs. THEM. It's our knowing of life against their knowing of life. It's our traditions that take precident over their traditions. It's our way of thinking that makes sense while they are the ones who are off base.

In 2001, I have to admit, I was fearful of THE OTHER; and THE OTHER had a clear label, ISLAM.

I watch each September 11, just like you do, and we all FEAR another attack from some extremist fanatic who is out to 'control the world,' or 'kill as many people as possible,' or simply threaten my own way of existence.

The first conflict of this ideology came when I was invited to be a part of The Harvard Veritas Forum in 2003. I was exposed to an environment where a Christian, a Muslim, and a Jew were asked to present their world views and what fueled the flame of hatred around the world.

And you know what I found?

People are People.

The same FEAR of THE OTHER in my heart was fueling the same flame in everyone at the conference. I found out Muslims have as much fear of Christians as Jews have of Christians. I found Jews had the same fear of Muslims that Christians had of other Jews, and I found that Christians were afraid of everyone. (O.K. not everyone, but almost...)

It's crazy to think about how many global conflicts are being fought primarily because we fear so much about people, and we really don't know anything about THE OTHER.

Most of us don't take the opportunity to leave our tribes of comfort to venture out and ask, "So why are all Muslims out to get us?"Or, "What do Jews believe about God and His interaction in the world today?"And maybe it would serve all parties involved to ask Christians, "What do you believe about God?"

Of course all those questions are variations of other questions, and many of you who are reading probably don't even ask those questions. But for the questions you do have about THE OTHER, maybe your fear can be put to rest if WE ALL take the time to sit down and ask about THE OTHER.

Sure, we all have differences. We believe God looks different, acts different, and historically behaves different thatn all the other views. We fundamently funciton from different worldviews. But we do have things in Common too.

We all want to raise our families well.We all want to be successfull.We all want to take care of our loved ones.We all want to worship in truth.

Crazy thing is:

I've worked with Christians from all sides of denominational variables, and I've found often Christians FEAR other Christian worshippers. I've worked with Muslims from all kinds of worship styles and country traditions, and I've found often, Muslims FEAR other Muslims. I've even worked with my Jewish Friends, and found a cornucopia of belief systems that vary depending on what Rabbi a particular Synagogue emphasizes.

So even within the narrative of US vs. Them, we don't even really know who US is. So how can we even begin to try and come up with an over arching thematic view of THEM?

Christians Fearing Muslims.Muslims Fearing Jews.Jews Fearing Christians. And all in the name of God.

In the Christian Tradition we read, "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (2 Timothy 1:7)

God is not a God of Fear. If you say you worship God, and you live in a spirit of constant fear of others, you're not dwelling in the spirit closest to the Biblical definition. Sure, God calls us to Fear Him, but that fear is one of respect, not cowering toward self defense.God is a God who Loves the people on earth enough to come and dwell WITH us. (John 3:16) God is a God who looks down on the earth and longs to engage with Creation. Unfortunately, when we let our own bias or our own opinion shadow the reality of what is, fueled by fear, we reach a state of hatred for another. And hatred leads us to conflict.

I'm excited to write this new book about FEAR, and as I examine this complicated emotion, I'd love yoyur input. Who knows? You might wind up being in a book someday.

April 15, 2014

We recognize, in a world where young men are trying to figure out who they are and how to be a man in 2014, there needs to be a place in the world where Men can be Men.

So many of our families call and ask:

1. Is it ok that my son is addicted to Video Games?

Modern Warfare, Zombies, and Battle Games are a Billion Dollar Business. Students are staying up late, and foregoing those old imaginary activities they can have by just going outside. Adventure is found on a television, not in real life. And there's something to be said for this problematic trend.

At the same token, Video Games are the only place young men have control over their destiny. They have to sit in class, dress up for church, and continue to conform to this idea that everyone else can control them. So as much as video games seem to be problems, it's a natural response for a man to have a controller in his hand to control his own destiny.

At KIVU, we want to re-introduce what it means to be a MAN in today's culture, and show men how they can think beyond the video gaming culture to shape their own destiny.

2. Is there any place where we can help our son understand how to develop character?

Integrity in school and the workplace are fading trends. In the days of old, men had older men who worked with them on developing necessary components of character. They taught them how to treat a lady, how to work and finish a job, and how to create adventures using the tools God gave them.

Our core curriculum is simple as we cry from the mountaintop, "THANK YOU LORD FOR MAKING ME A MAN." We're going to help give young men apprentice relationships with older men who are being successful in their own sphere of influence. In other words, they will have heroes to look up to when they come raft, bike, hike, and climb the big mountains here in Colorado.

3. Is it Safe?

This is exactly the question no man wants to hear, but every mother needs assurance. At KIVU we want to train men to experience the adventure of life, the fullness of character, and the importance of being humble to serve God. Our highly trained staff take into account the safety of all the young men at our facility, and it is our goal to return young men home better than when they came.

If you have a son, a nephew, or even a group of men who want to come experience MAN CAMP II, please visit, www.campkivu.com, hit the registration button, and come join us for a week where Men can be Men.

April 14, 2014

After watching the Kansas City News story unfold, I'm more confident than ever...Our World Is Spinning Out Of Control.

How in the world in 2014 do we see someone willing to take a weapon against an ethnic group, an elderly home, or for that matter ANYONE?

Haven't we figured out how to get out of this vicious cycle of hate?

I guess it's a naive presupposition to think humanity can come so far technologically that we still have to 'battle' it out. But when I take a look under the surface of my own prejudices, I'm faced with the horror of similar views in my own heart.

I mean, I'm not packing heat to gun someone down, but the fear laying just below the surface in my own self needs to be dealt with, somehow. The fear of loss. The fear of insignificance. The fear of rejection. All these things made whole somehow by hitching my pride filled wagon to some crazy train of violence.

Sure, I can hearken back to scripture and know that "All things work together for the good for those who love God." (Romans 8:28) But the reality is, I'm not sure if I even know what good comes of a man willing to shoot someone at an Ethnic Jewish Center. What good is to come of that?

Or take my conversation today with a Father who is grappling with a sick child. How is God working for the good of THAT family?

Or what about my friends who live across the Ocean subjected to a government that treats them unfairly? Where is God in their situation? They love Him just as much as anyone I know.

I think we have this un-realistic view here in America that plays out like, "If I just do the things that God has asked me to do, He'll bless me, keep me healthy, and make sure life unfolds in my way. And if I decide to go against God, He'll punish me."

Last week I had a chance to talk with a family who has teenagers. They've been longing for the day they don't have to worry about their kids making wrong decisions. (and believe me, the wrong decisions already stacked up would make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.)

They're a wonderful Family.They Love God with all their hearts.They give to the local church, have their kids in Christian School, and help their neighborhood.They're the typical American dream kind of family. But their teenagers are going WILD!!

And that's when my paradigm begins to shift. Instead of thinking that God is the Genie willing to grant the wishes you desire according to your own obedience, maybe this 'Out of Control' world is just the place He wants us, as CRAZY as it is.

He wants us to work through this wild, seemingly out of control, unrealistic expectation of a perfect life, and work through the suffering we see on the news. And what's more, He doesn't want us to harbor bitterness, anger, hate, or even begin to dwell in the arena of retaliation.

The Bible says, "What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ" (Philippians 3:8)

We quote that verse, but do we really mean it?

Have we REALLY considered EVERTYHING a loss?

Have we considered our family as a loss to know Jesus?Have we considered our health as a loss to know Jesus?Have we considered our economic situation a loss to know Jesus?Have we considered our political affiliation a loss to know Jesus?Have we considered our fears of people who think different than we do a loss to know Jesus?Can we really say "I consider them all garbage, that we might gain Jesus?"

Confessional:

I really like my family.I really like my job.I really like my life.I like my theological system I think is right.I feel comfortable in the arena I've chosen to live, and I truly believe God will bless. Sometimes, I can even say I like my fears, I like my doubts, and I like the places that are confusing.

Sometimes, I hold on to those things because they're safe. But if I'm really honest with my re-definition of this Christian Worldview, I'm called to give all those things away for the sake of knowing Jesus more intimately.

I guess this is all coming from a place when I sat with my friends in the Garden of Gethsemane a few months ago. Jesus gave up all His earthly fears, His Hope, and even His standing in the community to endure one of the most crazy-out of control weeks of His life here on earth.

The Scripture says it was so traumatic, He sweat drops of blood in anguish and agony. "Father, if it be your will, let this cup pass from me" He uttered. And when He turned around to see if anyone was with Him, they were all asleep. The world was literally spinning out of control for the one who made it and controls it. What do you do with that?

He faced it.

Alone.

Not promised to get out of the craziness of the world, but filled with hope the Kingdom of God was good and it was going to reconcile the craziness-Someday.

He gave it all.

I guess, if I want to walk like Jesus walked, I need to face these things and be ready to endure my loss with the same hope that filled Jesus--Mainly a Hope that All Things Will Be Made New. When I see the world in all its crazy, and take inventory of my own crazy fear filled heart, I cling today to the one who endured the crazy more intense than I will ever have to.

April 08, 2014

When 18 people decide to go to follow the footsteps of Jesus, CRAZY things happen. As most of you have followed along the journey, you know KIVU takes a Global trip every year to share our relationships with people who attend our Teenage Summer Program in Colorado. This year, we had an AMAZING group of people who wanted to go and see what's going on in the Holy Land.

I told them from the beginning, "You can take a tour of the Holy Land with a tour guide, but I promise you; I'll give you a behind the scenes look at everything going on politically, economically, and theologically."

I'm not a big fan of tours anyway. I like to meet people, talk to people who live on the ground, and figure out what's really going on outside of the normal tourist sites.

We started in Tiberius along the Sea of Galilee to see where Jesus began teaching. Just like anyone who visits, our group was overwhelmed with the beauty of the Sea. We walked along the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus gave His famous Sermon on the Mount. We took a ride in a wooden boat much like the disciples would have used to fish in Jesus' day. And we saw Where Jesus Began Ministry at Caperneam.

We traveled down the countryside through Jericho. We floated on the Dead Sea.And then we stayed inside of Bethlehem for the remainder of the trip.

We went to Hebron and saw the tension of people groups trying to live together.We went to the Tent of Nations to meet with Farmers trying to make it in a contested land issue.We met with Palestinians, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Israelis, and the locals on the ground.

The group was incredible. They took in all the sites, wrestled with the issues on the ground, and smiled well as they learned how to Love ALL people in various parts of the land.

At the end of the trip, we attended a birthday party for one of our KIVU students who traveled to Colorado last summer from Bethlehem, and the greatest part of working with teenagers...A Party is just what the Doctor Ordered.

I'm more impressed with the ability of teenagers to see through all the contentious parts of the world and just realize we're all human.

We're all just trying to make it through school.We're all just trying to get a good job.We're all trying to take care of our families.We're all trying to make sense of this crazy world.

Through it all, we saw clearly; politics isn't the answer, sociology isn't the answer, and economics isn't the answer.

The answer for people to live in harmony with one another is the relationships we develop along the way. It's so much more fun to make friends than it is to make enemies. And the only way we can break down the walls of enemy is to spend quality time looking at each other in the eye, and learning how to care for one another.

Once again the KIVU motto of LOVING GOD and LOVING OTHERS proved to be a worthy goal.